Caster device for stove-legs



C. G. OVERMYER.

CASTER DEVICE FOR STOVE LEGS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 27. 1915.

1 ,13fl5 1 Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

Inventor Attorneys CHARLES G. OVEBMYER, OF HARTFORD CITY, INDIANA.

CASTER DEVICE FOR STOVE-LEGS.

Application filed October 27, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES G. OVER- MYER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Hartford City, in the county of Blackford and Stateof Indiana, have invented a new and useful Caster Device for Stove-Legs,of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to caster devices for stove legs, andaims to provide a novel and improved appliance of that nature applicableto a stove leg, whereby the leg can be raised and supported upon acaster when it is desired to move the stove about, each of the legs ofthe stove being equipped with one of the devices.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure1 is a front view of the stove leg, with the caster device in normalposition, the cover of the stove leg being swung open. Fig. 2 is a rearview of the leg with the caster lowered. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectiontaken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the wrenchfor operating the device. Fig. 5 is an elevation of a modified form.

In carrying out the invention, the stove leg 1 which is in the form of acasting, is provided with a suitably located opening 2, and rear lugs 34at the lower and upper ends of said opening. The leg 1 also has a rearlug 5 at one side of said opening, and the leg is provided below theopening wlth a web 6 having an aperture or opening 7. The lugs 3, 4 and5 and web 6 are readily cast integral with the leg. The opening 2 isnormally closed by a cover or closure plate 8, which is pivoted, as at9, t0 the exterior of the leg above the opening 2, whereby the cover 8can be swung downwardly to close the opening, whereby the opening doesnot impair the appearance of the leg, but on the other hand, the closure9 provides an ornament for the leg so that it is not objectionable. Avertical spindle or rod 10 is slidable through the aperture 7 of the web6, and a caster 11 is swiveled t0 the lower end of the spindle 10 in anysuitable manner, it being preferable to provide anti-frict1onal bearingsfor the caster, so that the caster Wlll swing readily about the verticalaxis of the spindle 10. The spindle 10 has a flattened upper terminalportion 12 which rests snugly against the lugs 3- 1, and which isprovided with an upwardly opening slot Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. i, rare.

Serial No. 58,240.

13 in rear of the lug 4. A retaining screw 14 is threaded into the lug 4and extends through the slot 13, the head of the screw 14- hearmgagainst the rear side of the portion 12 to hold said portion slidablyagainst the lugs. The spindle 10 is thus guided for verticalreciprocation within said leg, the leg housing the spindle andaccompanying parts, so that they do not render the leg unsightly inappearance.

As a means for raising and lowering the spindle, an eccentric or cam 15is pivoted to the front side of the portion 12 by means of a rivet orpivot element 16, and the eccentric 15 is disposed snugly between thelugs The eccentric 15 has a forwardly pro- JGCtlllg boss or lug 17around the rivet 16, and said boss or lug is preferably of trapezoidalcontour for engagement with the trapezoidal socket 18 of a wrench 19,whereby the wrench can only be applied to the boss 17 in one position.This provides for the proper application of the wrench to the casterdevice, so that said device can be operated readily and properly. Thewrench is preferably in the form of the stove shaker, and is equippedwith the socket 18 projecting therefrom for engaging the boss 17.

Ordinarily, the eccentric 15 which is carried by the spindle 10 is swungdownwardly,

and bearing upon the lug 3, will raise the spmdle 10, to retract thecaster 11 above the lower end of the leg 1. The leg can therefore reston the floor or base. When it is desired to move the stove, it beingunderstood that one of the caster devices can be used upon each leg, thecover 8 of the leg is swung open, and the Wrench 19 is then ap plied tothe boss 17, so that the wrench projects to the left, as viewed inFig. 1. The wrench is then swung upwardly through an arc of 180 degrees,and the eccentric 15 hearing upwardly against the lug 4, will force thespindle 1O downwardly, to project the caster below the lower end of theleg, whereby the leg will now be supported upon the caster. Theeccentric 15 swings against the lug 5, which prevents the eccentric fromswinging farther, and the eccentric is preferably swung slightly beyonddead center against the lug 5, whereby the eccentric will not turn backto normal position under the weight of the stove which is imposed uponthe eccentric. hen all of the caster devices of the legs are lowered,the stove can be readily moved about, and to set the legs down upon thefloor again, the eccentrics 15 are swung backwardly to normal position,so that the legs are let down onto the floor and the casters retracted.It is to be noted that the eccentric or cam is pivoted to the spindleand merely bears against the lugs of the leg, so that it is notnecessary to pivot the eccentric to the leg itself, which would beobjectionable in that it would weaken and probably fracture the leg dueto the strains.

In the modified form illustrated in Fig. 5, the caster device is appliedto the casing 1 of a stove adjacent the corner thereof, and upon theinner side of the casing. The device embodies acasting 1 attached to thestove casing 1, and having on opening 2, lugs 3 and 4 and an aperturedear or flange 6 resembling the similarly numbered parts above described.A spindle or rod 10 is slidable through the ear 6 and has a caster 11swiveled to its lower end, the upper portion 12 of the spindle 10 havingan upwardly open slot 13 receiving a screw 14 which is attached to thelug 4, the same as the similarly numbered parts above described. Theeccentric or cam 15 is pivoted to the spindle 10, as at 16, and isdisposed between the lugs 34, the casting 1 also having a lug 5' againstwhich the eccentric 15 rests when the eccentric is swung upwardly. Themodification illustrates how the device can be applied within the cornerof a stove casing, to raise the casing off of the floor so that it canbe supported by the caster, and in this form, the corner of the stove isequivalent of the leg 1 above de- Gopies of this patent may be obtainedfor scribed. The casting or plate 1 can be readily secured to the stovecasing for applying the device thereto.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In a device of the character described, the combination with a leghaving an opening, a rear lug at the upper end of said opening, a rearlug at one side of said opening, and a rear web below said opening, of aremovable closure in front of said opening, a vertical spindle slidablethrough said web and having its upper terminal bearing slidably againstthe first mentioned lug, the spindle having a caster at its lower endand a vertical slot in its upper terminal, a securing element extendingthrough said slot and engaged with the first mentioned lug to hold thespindle thereagainst, an eccentric between said spindle and opening, apivot connecting said eccentric and spindle, the occentric having aforwardly projecting boss around the pivot and adapted for theengagement of a wrench inserted through said opening, the firstmentioned lug being scatable on said eccentric, and the eccentric beingadapted to bear against the second 1nentioned lug when the eccentric isswung upwardly and slightly past dead center.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES G. OVERMYER.

-Witnesses ERVIN C. BAUER, JOHN M. BONHAM.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,D. 0.

